Vacuum break device for water service systems



J. A. VOGEL VACUUM BREAK DEVICE FOR WATER SERVICE SYSTEMS Dec. 13, 1934.

Filed March 26 1954 4 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 3 tweak w 1 Dec. 18, 1934. J. A. VOGEL 1,985,120 I VACUUM BREAK DEVICE FOR WATER SERVICE SYSTEMS Filed March 26, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 avwem co'a 3 UNITED STATES PAT NT" oF-Fl'c-E Patented Dec. 18 1934 VACUUM DEVICE FOR 'WATER SERVICE SYSTEMS Jwvh s WilmingtomjDeL, assignorgto Joseph Vogel' p y,*wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware I v Application March 26, 1934, Serial No. 717,492

3 Claims.

application is a continuation in part of my prior application, Serial No. 678,046, filed June 2a, 1933. p

This invention relates to improvements in water closet and other similar water supply syste ms, and particularly to systems of that kind embodying a bowl or other suitable receptacle having fresh water supply and waste outlet connections; and the main object of the invention 10' is to provide simple, reliable and eflicient means for preventing siphonage of any waste from the bowl or receptacle to the water supply line, and the contamination of the water in the latter by a impurities, in the event that the bowl or receptacle should become filled and overflowing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a'vacuum break device anddrain channel for the above specified purpose which will also serve asconducting means for returning to the bowl any waste matter which may entersaid dewaterjdistribution apparatus generally, to drink-.

' derstood in all its aspects I have herein shown the same in the accompanying drawings as applied, for example, to the closet apparatus disclosed in my. aforesaid application Serial No. 678,046, in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the application' of the invention to a Vogel type of frostproof water closet.

Fig. 2 is a vertical front-to-rear section through the water supply and drain valve mechanism thereof on an enlarged scale andshowing the application of the invention thereto.

Fig. 3'is a view in rear elevation of the upper portion of the standpipe and showing more particularly the arrangement of the siphon device.

Fig. 4 isnavertical transverse section through the lower portion of the standpipe on a further showing certain vacuum relief or break device associatedtherewith. I f

Fig. 6 is a section similarto Fig. 2. Figs. 7 to 10-, inclusive, are cross sectionssimilar to Fig. 5, showing modified forms or the' invention. 1 l

Referring now more'particularly to the drawings, l designates a closet bowl'providedatits upper rear portion with an inlet 2 for supply of .fiush water thereto'and having an outlet' 3 at its base for connection, in the usual manner, with a waste pipe 'and't'rap "3 communicating with the bowl chamber 1a; and forming part of a waste disposal or sewage system. In practice thetrap is designed to be arranged below the frost line; in the use of the closet in exposed places, in'order and drain channel I to prevent liability of the freezing of water therein. 1 V U n Disposed adjacent the top of the bowl and in rear thereof is a valve casing iformed'with a'n upper flush chamber 5, a flush discharge outlet 6, and a lower flush chamber or passage *Zhaving a lateral inflow and outflow connection 8. Theflushdischarg'e outlet 6 communicates-withthe inlet 2 of the bowl while-the connection 8is provided for communication with the water supply tank 9; Extending downwardly from; the lower end of the casing is a'standpipe or conductor '10 having a water inlet 11 at its lower end for'con nection with a water service or supply pipe 12 and having a drain outlet 13 above the level of the water inlet 11, for a purpose hereinafterdescribed. I

' Arranged within the valve casing 5 and the standpipe 10 is a'valve stem 14 carrying within the chamber 7 an upper flushing valve 15 movable; to alternately open and close communication between the chambers 5and 7. *At its lower end the valve stem carries a valve 16 controllingthe' water supply inlet 11, and a valve 17' controlling the drain outlet 13, the drain valve being hollowand portions of the valve stem above and'below the plane of said drain valve 17 being of openwork construction or provided with ports 18 and 19 t o allow water to flow between the pipe 10 above the level-of the drain valveand the drain outlet 13 or water inlet 11 inthe different positions of the valvemembe'rs 16and 17. A spring 20 associated with the upper end of the valve acts, in conjunc tion with gravity, to maintain the valve device a position in which valve 16 closes inlet 11, valve 17 is open and connects that part of the pipe 10 above the drain valve with the drain outlet 13, and the valve member 15' is' open so that chambers 5 and '7 and the closet and tank are in open communication. A forked arm 21 carried by the pivotally mounted closet seat 22 engages under a head 23 fixed to the upper projecting end of the valve stem and operates thereon to lift the valve when the seat is depressed. On depression of the seat the valve stem is raised to close valve 15 and cut off communication between the pipe 10 and the bowl and to move valve 17 to a position in which it closes the drain pipe 13' and simultaneously moves valve 16 to open position, for the upfiow of water through the connection 8 from the supply pipe 12 to the tank 9. Thetank will thereupon be filled with water and the air therein compressed until the pressure equals or exceeds that in the supply line, at which the flow of water will be automatically cut off. When the seat 22 is released spring 20 moves the valve stem down- 7 ward to close the valve 16 and to open the valve 15 to establish communication between the tank and bowl for the flushing action and to simultaneously open communication between the lower end of the pipe 11 and the drain outlet 15 for the sub sequent drainage off of residual water-remaining in the flushing connection at the end of the flushing action, as hereinafter described.

A siphonage device 24 is provided for the purpose of effecting a rapid siphonage off from the standpipe and parts of the flushing system above the inlet valve of any and all water remaining in the flushing system, in order to avoid any possibility of the freezing or contamination thereof.

This siphonage device comprises a looped tubev having a short limb 25and a long limb 26 connected at their upper ends by a return portion 27. The limbsor legs 25 and 26 are arranged in parallel relation to the pipe 10 and thereturn portion is preferably disposed so as to loop about the connection 8 and to lie at a level above the highest level of the bowl. The short limb 25 extends downwardly from the return portion 27 and communicates at its lower end with the standpipe 10 through apassage 28, at about the level of the drain outlet 13, so that in the closed position of valve 1'7 both passages 13 and 28 will be closed while in the open position of said valve 1'7 both of said passages 13 and 28 will be open. The longer or outlet leg 26 of the siphon extends downwardly to a point below the level of the lower end of leg 25 for the discharge of the siphon water therefrom into the ground outside the standpipeor into a suitable outlet connection. The leg 26 is madeof such length relative to the leg 25 as to ensure an efficient siphonage action and in practice this leg 26 may be made of fluted or zig-zag form or otherwise offset or shaped to increase its effective length to a degreegreater than the distance between itsupper and lower ends in order to further quicken and increase the efiiciency of the siphonage action.

In its operation, the siphonage device 24, which may be made of copper tubing of suitable gage, is primed for action by the upfiow of water through its leg 25 into its leg 26 during the flushing action,

so that, upon the closing of the valve 16, and cessation of the flushing action, the water remainingtrapped in the pipe 10 will be immediately siphoned off through the siphonage device, in order that a sufficient amount of water is present for the siphonage action, whereby the standpipe and its connections above the water supplyvalve above the frost line, will be prevented in a certain, reliable and efiicient manner at all times whenever there is a sufiicient amount of residual water present to operate the siphonage discharge device. By this means, also, the flushing apparatus, when not in use, will be kept clear of any water liable to be fouled by sewageor other contamination.

The drainage connection 13 is provided in order to ensure discharge of any residual water from the standpipe in the event that the amount of water remaining is not suflicient to cause a siphonage l action. This outlet 13 communic'ates through a pipe 29 terminating in an open valve cage 30in which is arranged a ball valve 31. This valveopens automatically to permit of a drainage action and then closes to seal the drainage connection 13 against the admission of air, water or other'foreign substances. This valve 31 operates to close the outlet 13 at all times and particularly when said outlet is not closed the same from obstruction or entrance by foreign particles.

In accordance with my present invention, and as disclosed particularly in connection with the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, I provide an air intake or vacuum-break device 33 to break the vacuum and prevent siphonage in the event that the bowl should become filled and overflowing. This air intake or Vacuum-break device comprises a tube or pipe 34 having one end 35 disposed in the bowl intakepassage in'con nection 6 and the tube thence extends outwardly and is-bent or looped around part 6 and has its opposite end 36 located at one side of part 6 and terminating immediately above or within and in spaced relation'to the upper inlet end of a drain channel or ventpassage 37. This channel or passage 37 is formed inthe part 2 of the bowl with its upper end opening through the rim of the bowl and its lower end communicating with the top of the body of the bowl below the base of the rim, through which channel or passage 36 any fluid entering said tube or pipe 34 and discharged through end 35 may be caught and the bowl or receptacle to the water supply line.

and the contamination of the water therein by waste impurities, in the event that the bowl or receptacle should become filled and overflowing. A'similar advantage may be obtained in the use of the device in other like water service systems.

The use of the channel or passage 37 may not be necessary where conditions are such that no leakage can or isliable to takev place through the air break tube. .It is, however, preferably provided to take care of any leakage under conditions where leakage mayor is liable to occur, as, for example, when used in connection with valves of the flushometer type. It will beunderstood, of course, that while the channel 37 will preferably beformed in or upon a bowl in a water closet combination or like service system, any equivalent thereof may be employed, and the channel may be constructed, and arrangedto conduct the leakage into any waste receptacle or waste part of the service system.

Many and various modifications in the construction of the air break means herein disclosed may be employed, some of which are shown. In Fig. 6, for example, a slightly modified form of air break tube 33a is used in connection with a slightly modified form of flush connection 6a, but in which the ends 3511 and 36a of the tube are arranged for cooperation with said connection and the drain channel 370. as in the construction previously described. In Fig. '7 a U- shaped form of tube 33b is employed which ex- 7 tends through one side of another modified form of flush connection 6b with its inner and outer ends 35b and 36b communicating respectively with the flush channel and overlying the drain channel 37b. In Fig. 8 an air break tube 330, similar to the tube 331) extends through one side of a flush connection do with its inner and outer ends 350 and 360 communicating respectively with the flush channel and overlying an opening in a flange of the flush connection 60, which opening is in alinement with the drain channel 370. In Fig. 9 an air break tube 33d, similar to tubes 33b and 330, extends through one side of the flush connection 6d with its inner end 36d arranged within the flush channel and its outer end 3512 fitting within a nipple 39 communicating with the drain channel 37d and molded as an integral part on the bowl structure. In Fig. 10 an air break tube 336 of U-form extends through one side of a flanged flush connection 6a with its inner end 36c disposed in the flush channel and its outer end arranged above an opening in the connection flange 40, which opening registers with a drain channel 376 which communicates with the water intake or flush channel 2 in the bowl. Obviously other and equivalent ways ofcarrying the invention into practical effect may be employed, varied in form and arrangement to suit the particular kind of closet flush or water service fixture in connection with which the invention is to be used. I, therefore, do not limit myself in thesev particulars, as such modifications and other modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is: 1

1. In a water service apparatus, a bowl having a main chamber with a discharge connection at its bottom, a water supply passage at its top andv a drain channel leading from the top of the bowl from a point at one side of the inlet of the supply passage and thence downwardly into the bowl without communicating with said passage but communicating with the water chamber below the level of the top of said chamber, a water supply conductor communicating with the inlet of the water supply passage, and a vacuum break conductor extending through the water supply conductor and communicating at its inner end with said conductor'and at its outer end with the external atmosphere, the latter-named end of said vacuum break conductor being disposed in spaced but conducting relation tothe upper end of the drain channel.

2. In a water service apparatus, a bowl having a main chamber with a discharge connection at its bottom, a water supplypassage at its top and a drain channel leading from the top of the bowl from a point at one side of the inlet of the supply passage and thence downwardly into the bowlv without communicating with said passage but communicating with the water chamber below the level of the top of said chamber, the bowl having an upstanding tubular projection communicating with the top of said channel, a water supply conductor commimicating with the inlet of the water supply passage, and a vacuum break conductor extending through the water supply conductor and communicating at its inner end with said conductor and at its outer end with the external atmosphere, the latter-named end of said vacuum break conductor depending into said tubular projection in spaced relation thereto.

3. In a water service apparatus, a bowl having a main chamber with a discharge connection at its bottom, a water supply passage at its top and a drain channel leading from the top of thebowl from a point at one side of the inlet of the supply passage and thence downwardly into the bowl without communicating with said passage but communicating with the water chamber below the level of the top of said chamber, a water supply conductor having a portion provided with a water discharge passage communicating with the discharge passage of the bowl and provided with a lateral projection resting on the bowl and formed with a port communicating with the upper end of the drain channel, and a vacuum break conductor extending through the water supply conductor and communicating at its inner end with said conductor and at its outer end with the external atmosphere, the latter-named end of said vacuum break conductor being of smaller diameter than the port in said lateral projection and arranged immediately thereabove for the drain of water therefrom into said channel.

' JOSEPH A. VOGEL. 

